Chocolate Christmas Crinkles

My husband and daughter love cookies. You could pretty much call them cookie monsters. It seems like every other week or so I hear the monsters roar. First the little one begins, “Are we going to make some cookies Daddy?” So, Daddy goes and checks the pantry for ingredients and then roars back to the little one. “Yes, we can make cookies!” And before you know it, I hear drawers and cabinets open and close, cookie sheets clanging, and the beeping of the oven being turned on.

Sophia loves helping out when they make cookies. My husband reads the recipe and has her scoop and measure the flour, sugar, and cocoa. She loves to break the eggs too, even though they usually get her fingers messy. So, she immediately asks for a towel to wipe them off. Then he turns on the blender and lets her mix everything together. After everything is mixed they roll the dough into balls together and put them on the cookie sheet. Then, into the oven they go. Sophia turns on the oven light, and then grabs a chair and places it right in front of the oven. She tells Daddy to sit there so she can sit on his lap and watch the cookies get bigger. When the cookies are ready, Sophia helps scoop the cookies off the sheet with a spatula and lets them cool. Next, I hear the refrigerator door open and the milk being poured. Then the two cookie monsters come and find me and say it’s cookie time!

Their favorite cookie is usually chocolate chip, but this time he surprised me and made something new. He called them Chocolate Christmas Crinkles. These were a chocolate brownie type cookie covered in powdered sugar. They looked so good, I think I might turn into a cookie monster too.

Here is the recipe for Chocolate Christmas Crinkles. (makes 36 cookies)

• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/4 melted butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

Mix together cocoa, white sugar, and melted butter. Add the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. In another bowl mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Then, slowly add the flour mixture into the cocoa mixture and finally, add the chocolate chips. Cover dough, and chill for at least two hours or longer. Since these two are cookie monsters they couldn’t wait that long and stuck it in the freezer for 30 to 45 minutes. My husband did say that it is very important to chill the dough before baking. After the dough has chilled, take the dough out and form into balls, a little bit smaller than golf balls. Then roll the cookie balls in powdered sugar until completely covered.

Place them on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper and put into a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Let them stand for a minute, then place them on a wire rack or plate to cool some more. These cookies look so beautiful when done and are very delicious. It is also very fun for kids, as they get to roll cookie balls and then roll them in powdered sugar. Sophia said it felt like they were making a snowman.

Now, enjoy and make yourself some delicious Chocolate Christmas Crinkles!

Sincerely,